A high school crush, a world-class pastry chef, a former middle-weight boxing champion...and a whole lot of cake!Ono has come a long way since the agonizing day in high school when he confessed his love to handsome Tachibana. Now, some 14 years later Ono, a world-class pastry chef and gay playboy has it all. No man can resist Ono's charms (or his cooking skills!) but he has just found a new position under a man named Tachibana. Can this be the only man who resisted his charms, and if so, will the man who once snubbed the "magically gay" Ono get his just desserts? And how in the heck did a former middleweight boxing champion wind up as Ono's cake boy?

[edit by mod, Warning: Possible spoilers]this is a good example of a manga that defies easy classification in the west, and why the west's definitions are hosed, and we should just adopt japanese terminology. because this is clearly BL, but not shounen-ai, nor yaoi. there is no airy-fairy platonic love with at most a chaste kiss and "i've always liked you" between young boys, which characterizes shounen-ai. instead there is an adult, out, sexually active gay character -- but yaoi-lovers get to see no sex, and romance lovers don't get to see him fulfilled with the person with whom one would normally expect him to end up. don't read this story for the romance, unless you're fine with unrequited love all-around that does not get neatly resolved. no, even then, don't read it for the romance. it's not all that romantic. read it for yoshinaga-sensei's fine storytelling abilities and her sense of humour. these characters feel like real people, they have depth.

If you're a food-lover or a lover of shounen ai, this manga's for you. Beautifully illustrated desserts and beautifully drawn men are both plentiful in this story. But it isn't just a superficial charm -- there are depths to these men that are explored with each consecutive volume. Secrets, failed romances and hidden hopes are all brought to light as our patissiers bumble their way through life.

The only reason I'm not giving this manga a 9 or a 10 is because the romantic tension built up throughout the series isn't clearly resolved at the end. In my opinion, Yoshinaga-sensei should do a sequel, in which Tachibana finally gets his head out of his ass and admits his feelings to himself. It would also be good to follow Chikage and Kanda as they pursue their goals.

This is a really great story. Light, funny and enjoyable to read. The diverse character personalities are the best! I really wish there was more. I could have kept on reading and reading. Not your typical BL story at all.

Talk about delicious and mouth-watering! A nice-paced slice-of-life with sprinklings of comedy. If the wonderful story construction and engaging characters don't warm your heart, the cakes and desserts will definitely whet your appetite. This manga is Yoshinaga Fuyumi at her best, and it deservedly won the 26th Kodansha Award.

Now if only recipes for each dessert featured throughout the manga were made available...

While I wouldn't exactly say that this series completely qualifies as "slice of life," I will admit that I kind of enjoyed this one. The only thing that I didn't like about this series was that so many things were left unresolved in the end. Even if the mangaka was going for the whole open ended thing, I still think that some issues could have been worked out a little better in the end of this one.

Also, for the comment:

...Are all real-life gay men like that? If so, then maybe I finally understand why they're so hated...

Um...you do realize that this is not real life, right? But if we're using this manga as source of reference here, then the same question could be asked about straight people if you look at every playboy that exists in various types of manga on the market. One character (from a manga, no less) couldn't possibly be representative of an entire group of people. That's a rather bold--if not completely silly--assumption to make.

If you love reading a manga that sucks you right in and won't let you stop reading, this is for you. The interactions between the characters are unique and there are a lot of things to laugh and cry (happily) about. It's really great!

I loved this manga! It wasn't really Yaoi ( I thought it was thats why I picked it up.) But it was great! I enjoyed to the end! Beautiful art, lovable characters, and great story plot. Fumi sensei did again! I would love it she was to do a sequel but I'm so far enjoying the doushi that have been done.

somehow this manga was really a good read, and i actually didn't stop until i finished it. and i was right to do so.and yet, i have this kind of feeling of being really unsatisfied!!! i don't know how to explain it.the ending was good, and it ended at the right place too. but it was kind of cut off. we finally get to understand about the characters, and why are they this way, and then it ends. and you don't get to see any progress on the main couple, and you can't even picture it either. because truthfully even after finishing i don't know if they will ever be together.i gave it a 9 because it was actually very good and i couldn't leave until i finished reading, but i still couldn't give it a 10 because of mine unsatisfied feelings........

This sleeve is very stopped and I found it very boring, the characters are simple and the art is not legal ... Chikage is more fluffy and funny the whole sleeve. The sleeve has very incomplete with things not resolved ...